4 answers
Preston
Student
Albertville, Alabama
2
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What is the role of a chemical engineer?
I was looking at becoming a chemical engineer and was curious on what I would be doing in that field.
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4 answers
Tasha Frazier
Software Sales
27
Answers
Aurora, Colorado
Updated
Tasha’s Answer
Chemical engineers work in a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, energy, food & beverages, environmental services, and manufacturing. Their roles often involve designing, developing, and optimizing processes to convert raw materials into valuable products. In pharmaceuticals, chemical engineers might work on scaling up the production of medications, ensuring they are manufactured safely and efficiently. In the energy sector, they often focus on refining fuels or developing sustainable energy sources, like biofuels. In manufacturing, they may improve production methods, manage waste, or ensure quality control. Environmental roles might involve developing pollution control methods, designing waste treatment processes, or working on sustainable practices to reduce the environmental impact of chemical processes. Across these roles, chemical engineers often use computer simulations, laboratory experiments, and data analysis to troubleshoot issues, improve efficiencies, and ensure regulatory compliance.
I should also note that a lot of people (like myself) obtain a degree in chemical engineering and ultimately end up somewhere else. It's a great degree to obtain in that it is heavy on math and science, it teaches critical thinking skills, and it teaches perseverance. As you can imagine, those skills translate well into a lot of other jobs and careers.
Best of luck!
I should also note that a lot of people (like myself) obtain a degree in chemical engineering and ultimately end up somewhere else. It's a great degree to obtain in that it is heavy on math and science, it teaches critical thinking skills, and it teaches perseverance. As you can imagine, those skills translate well into a lot of other jobs and careers.
Best of luck!
Jayavignesh Arivalagan
Chemical Process Engineer
28
Answers
Alpha, New Jersey
Updated
Jayavignesh’s Answer
From my current working experience with a Bachelor's degree with the title "Process Engineer", I would say general functions are to support or complete day to day activities that are necessary for meeting short term goals (usually it's "we must make X amount of something per day" to meet a target) while working on some longer time frame projects. How these job responsibilities are split up depends a lot on the industry, some engineers will have far too much day to day work to be involved with longer term projects, so there is a split between operational engineering and project engineering.
When I worked in manufacturing plants, I supported operations day to day with troubleshooting and operator training when a process change was implemented or some new equipment was going to be used; I typically worked with other people in these activities. I also worked on short and medium term (1 month to 15 months for implementation) improvement projects where I had varying degrees of responsibility. Some project work was solely up to me to finish everything but more complicated projects had a team supporting it, so there is a split between solo and group work. In the plant, my goal was to support making quality product faster and/or more cheaply while keeping things safe.
When I worked for an engineering design firm, I was responsible for all the project deliverables (e.g. calculations and then the drawings that showed how to move a chemical from one location to another) whether I was involved with determining those deliverables or not and negotiating with different groups on time and/or money to complete projects. This type of work is predominantly team based and 99% of your time will be supporting the projects you are assigned to, so other long term work is rare to come by if you don't want to do it on your own time. For design work, my goal is to make, or have clients make, good decisions as fast as reasonable so I could meet project milestones.
Product/process development (i.e. R&D or scale-up) is another area for chemical engineers, though I have not worked in such a role. The common wisdom is that you need a Master's degree at least for this, but it's not impossible with a Bachelor's degree to have a moderate level of career advancement. I believe a PhD is needed to fully advance in this career path within established industries (e.g. pharmaceuticals, commercial products), but I could be mistaken.
I would say my current work history is typical for chemical engineers, but chemical engineers can use their knowledge in a variety of ways that lead to very different responsibilities and experience - like Michael Trocchia's son working as an environmental engineer. I had one classmate that went on to law school to work in patent law, as another example.
When I worked in manufacturing plants, I supported operations day to day with troubleshooting and operator training when a process change was implemented or some new equipment was going to be used; I typically worked with other people in these activities. I also worked on short and medium term (1 month to 15 months for implementation) improvement projects where I had varying degrees of responsibility. Some project work was solely up to me to finish everything but more complicated projects had a team supporting it, so there is a split between solo and group work. In the plant, my goal was to support making quality product faster and/or more cheaply while keeping things safe.
When I worked for an engineering design firm, I was responsible for all the project deliverables (e.g. calculations and then the drawings that showed how to move a chemical from one location to another) whether I was involved with determining those deliverables or not and negotiating with different groups on time and/or money to complete projects. This type of work is predominantly team based and 99% of your time will be supporting the projects you are assigned to, so other long term work is rare to come by if you don't want to do it on your own time. For design work, my goal is to make, or have clients make, good decisions as fast as reasonable so I could meet project milestones.
Product/process development (i.e. R&D or scale-up) is another area for chemical engineers, though I have not worked in such a role. The common wisdom is that you need a Master's degree at least for this, but it's not impossible with a Bachelor's degree to have a moderate level of career advancement. I believe a PhD is needed to fully advance in this career path within established industries (e.g. pharmaceuticals, commercial products), but I could be mistaken.
I would say my current work history is typical for chemical engineers, but chemical engineers can use their knowledge in a variety of ways that lead to very different responsibilities and experience - like Michael Trocchia's son working as an environmental engineer. I had one classmate that went on to law school to work in patent law, as another example.
Michael Trocchia
Supply Chain Director
69
Answers
Mine Hill Township, New Jersey
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Chemical engineers can do many things. My son and I are both chemical engineers. I had a 40 year career in the pharmaceutical industry in manufacturing and later in supply chain. I am currently working in the digital field.
My son is an environmental engineer for a large chemical company.
A degree in chemical engineering opens many doors and will enable you to have a fulfilling career.
Good luck!!!
My son is an environmental engineer for a large chemical company.
A degree in chemical engineering opens many doors and will enable you to have a fulfilling career.
Good luck!!!
Robert Rossi
Many things! But mostly chemistry and chemical engineering
51
Answers
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Updated
Robert’s Answer
Chemical engineering can be something of a "gotcha" field, because how it is named is not consistent with other engineering fields. Most people assume that chemical engineers design and develop chemicals, the way electrical engineers do electronics and structural engineers do structures (but it's actually chemists who "design and develop" chemicals). Chemical engineers work on mass-production systems and scale-up. They design, develop, and operate large plants and highly integrated systems. Chemical engineering is the most interdisciplinary engineering field of all (save perhaps industrial engineering, which I don't think is really engineering at all: it's management!): the first two years of the ChE degree program are like a liberal arts in the sciences and engineering, but then in the latter half you learn how to size pumps, cooling towers, and reactors. It is very mathematical. The largest single sector in which chemical engineers work is the petroleum industry: refining petroleum, cracking hydrocarbons, and making polymers and pharmaceuticals, but some of my friends work in almost every industry that mass-produces its products, from computer chips and cars to soda pop and potato chips. One of my friends makes Depends undergarments, another makes Velveeta, a third makes laser printer toner. In most cases, a chemical engineer sees a production line through from start to finish: they design the production plant; oversee the acquisition, installation, assembly, and integration of the equipment; and then oversee the line (manage its operation and maintenance) for as long as it remains relevant. ChE pays extremely well and it is easy to get a job in, but you are on call at all hours once the line launches because you are the expert on the big picture, and get called when it isn't working right and nobody else can figure out why in the wee hours of the night. (Some ChE specialize in just design, build, or operate, though.) Research in ChE mostly relates to making production lines (and their construction) more efficient, in terms of speed, reliability, and economics. The vast majority of ChEs work for large companies.